little novels-第20节

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e　of　her　will　contained　the　testator's　grateful　recognition　of　Adela　Restall's　Christian　act　of　forgiveness。　The　second　clause　（after　stating　that　there　were　neither　relatives　nor　children　to　be　benefited　by　the　will）　left　Adela　Restall　mistress　of　Mrs。　Cosway　Benshaw's　fortuneon　the　one　merciless　condition　that　she　did　_not_　marry　Edwin　Cosway。　The　third　clauseif　Adela　Restall　violated　the　conditionhanded　over　the　whole　of　the　money　to　the　firm　in　the　City；　〃for　the　extension　of　the　business；　and　the　benefit　of　the　surviving　partners。〃

Some　months　later；　Adela　came　of　age。　To　the　indignation　of　Mr。　Restall；　and　the　astonishment　of　the　〃Company；〃　the　money　actually　went　to　the　firm。　The　fourth　epoch　in　Mr。　Cosway's　life　witnessed　his　marriage　to　a　woman　who　cheerfully　paid　half　a　million　of　money　for　the　happiness　of　passing　her　life；　on　eight　hundred　a　year；　with　the　man　whom　she　loved。

But　Cosway　felt　bound　in　gratitude　to　make　a　rich　woman　of　his　wife；　if　work　and　resolution　could　do　it。　When　Stone　last　heard　of　him；　he　was　reading　for　the　bar；　and　Mr。　Atherton　was　ready　to　give　him　his　first　brief。

NOTE。That　〃most　improbable〃　part　of　the　present　narrative；　which　is　contained　in　the　division　called　The　First　Epoch；　is　founded　on　an　adventure　which　actually　occurred　to　no　less　a　person　than　a　cousin　of　Sir　Walter　Scott。　In　Lockhart's　delightful　〃Life；〃　the　anecdote　will　be　found　as　told　by　Sir　Walter　to　Captain　Basil　Hall。　The　remainder　of　the　present　story　is　entirely　imaginary。　The　writer　wondered　what　such　a　woman　as　the　landlady　would　do　under　certain　given　circumstances；　after　her　marriage　to　the　young　midshipmanand　here　is　the　result。



MR。　MEDHURST　AND　THE　PRINCESS。

I。

THE　day　before　I　left　London；　to　occupy　the　post　of　second　secretary　of　legation　at　a　small　German　Court；　I　took　leave　of　my　excellent　French　singing…master；　Monsieur　Bonnefoy；　and　of　his　young　and　pretty　daughter　named　Jeanne。

Our　farewell　interview　was　saddened　by　Monsieur　Bonnefoy's　family　anxieties。　His　elder　brother；　known　in　the　household　as　Uncle　David；　had　been　secretly　summoned　to　Paris　by　order　of　a　republican　society。　Anxious　relations　in　London　（whether　reasonably　or　not；　I　am　unable　to　say）　were　in　some　fear　of　the　political　consequences　that　might　follow。

At　parting；　I　made　Mademoiselle　Jeanne　a　present；　in　the　shape　of　a　plain　gold　brooch。　For　some　time　past；　I　had　taken　my　lessons　at　Monsieur　Bonnefoy's　house；　his　daughter　and　I　often　sang　together　under　his　direction。　Seeing　much　of　Jeanne；　under　these　circumstances；　the　little　gift　that　I　had　offered　to　her　was　only　the　natural　expression　of　a　true　interest　in　her　welfare。　Idle　rumor　assertedquite　falselythat　I　was　in　love　with　her。　I　was　sincerely　the　young　lady's　friend：　no　more；　no　less。

Having　alluded　to　my　lessons　in　singing；　it　may　not　be　out　of　place　to　mention　the　circumstances　under　which　I　became　Monsieur　Bonnefoy's　pupil；　and　to　allude　to　the　change　in　my　life　that　followed　in　due　course　of　time。

Our　family　propertyexcepting　the　sum　of　five　thousand　pounds　left　to　me　by　my　motheris　landed　property　strictly　entailed。　The　estates　were　inherited　by　my　only　brother；　Lord　Medhurst；　the　kindest；　the　best；　and；　I　grieve　to　say　it；　the　unhappiest　of　men。　He　lived　separated　from　a　bad　wife；　he　had　no　children　to　console　him；　and　he　only　enjoyed　at　rare　intervals　the　blessing　of　good　health。　Having　myself　nothing　to　live　on　but　the　interest　of　my　mother's　little　fortune；　I　had　to　make　my　own　way　in　the　world。　Poor　younger　sons；　not　possessed　of　the　commanding　ability　which　achieves　distinction；　find　the　roads　that　lead　to　prosperity　closed　to　them；　with　one　exception。　They　can　always　apply　themselves　to　the　social　arts　which　make　a　man　agreeable　in　society。　I　had　naturally　a　good　voice；　and　I　cultivated　it。　I　was　ready　to　sing；　without　being　subject　to　the　wretched　vanity　which　makes　objections　and　excusesI　pleased　the　ladiesthe　ladies　spoke　favorably　of　me　to　their　husbandsand　some　of　their　husbands　were　persons　of　rank　and　influence。　After　no　very　long　lapse　of　time；　the　result　of　this　combination　of　circumstances　declared　itself。　Monsieur　Bonnefoy's　lessons　became　the　indirect　means　of　starting　me　on　a　diplomatic　careerand　the　diplomatic　career　made　poor　Ernest　Medhurst；　to　his　own　unutterable　astonishment；　the　hero　of　a　love　story！

The　story　being　true；　I　must　beg　to　be　excused；　if　I　abstain　from　mentioning　names；　places；　and　dates；　when　I　enter　on　German　ground。　Let　it　be　enough　to　say　that　I　am　writing　of　a　bygone　year　in　the　present　century；　when　no　such　thing　as　a　German　Empire　existed；　and　when　the　revolutionary　spirit　of　France　was　still　an　object　of　well…founded　suspicion　to　tyrants　by　right　divine　on　the　continent　of　Europe。

II。

ON　joining　the　legation；　I　was　not　particularly　attracted　by　my　chief；　the　Minister。　His　manners　were　oppressively　polite；　and　his　sense　of　his　own　importance　was　not　sufficiently　influenced　by　diplomatic　reserve。　I　venture　to　describe　him　（mentally　speaking）　as　an　empty　man；　carefully　trained　to　look　full　on　public　occasions。

My　colleague；　the　first　secretary；　was　a　far　more　interesting　person。　Bright；　unaffected；　and　agreeable；　he　at　once　interested　me　when　we　were　introduced　to　each　other。　I　pay　myself　a　compliment；　as　I　consider；　when　I　add　that　he　became　my　firm　and　true　friend。

We　took　a　walk　together　in　the　palace　gardens　on　the　evening　of　my　arrival。　Reaching　a　remote　part　of　the　grounds；　we　were　passed　by　a　lean；　sallow；　sour…looking　old　man；　drawn　by　a　servant　in　a　chair　on　wheels。　My　companion　stopped；　whispered　to　me；　〃Here　is　the　Prince；〃　and　bowed　bareheaded。　I　followed　his　example　as　a　matter　of　course。　The　Prince　feebly　returned　our　salutation。　〃Is　he　ill？〃　I　asked；　when　we　had　put　our　hats　on　again。

〃Shakespeare；〃　the　secretary　replied；　〃tells　us　that　'one　man　in　his　time　plays　many　parts。'　Under　what　various　aspects　the　Prince's　character　may　have　presented　itself；　in　his　younger　days；　I　am　no　t　able　to　tell　you。　Since　l　have　been　here；　he　has　played　the　part　of　a　martyr　to　illness；　misunderstood　by　his　doctors。〃

〃And　his　daughter；　the　Princesswhat　do　you　say　of　her？〃

〃Ah；　she　is　not　so　easily　described！　I　can　only　appeal　to　your　memory　of　other　women　like　her；　whom　you　must　often　have　seenwomen　who　are　tall　and　fair；　and　fragile　and　elegant；　who　have　delicate　aquiline　noses　and　melting　blue　eyeswomen　who　have　often　charmed　you　by　their　tender　smiles　and　their　supple　graces　of　movement。　As　for　the　character　of　this　popular　young　lady；　I　must　not　influence　you　either　way；　study　it　for　yourself。〃

〃Without　a　hint　to　guide　me？〃

〃With　a　suggestion；〃　he　replied；　〃which　may　be　worth　considering。　If　you　wish　to　please　the　Princess；　begin　by　endeavoring　to　win　the　good　graces　of　the　Baroness。〃

〃Who　is　the　Baroness？〃

〃One　of　the　ladies　in　waitingbosom　friend　of　her　Highness；　and　chosen　repository　of　all　her　secrets。　Personally；　not　likely　to　attract　you；　short　and　fat；　and　ill…tempered　and　ugly。　Just　at　this　time；　I　happen　myself　to　get　on　with　her　better　than　usual。　We　have　discovered　that　we　possess　one　sympathy　in　commonwe　are　the　only　people　at　Court　who　don't　believe　in　the　Prince's　new　doctor。〃

〃Is　the　new　doctor　a　quack？〃

The　secretary　looked　round；　before　he　answered；　to　see　that　nobody　was　near　us。

〃It　strikes　me；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　Doctor　is　a　spy。　Mind！　I　have　no　right　to　speak　of　him　in　that　way；　it　is　only　my　impressionand　I　ought　to　add　that　appearances　are　all　in　his　favor。　He　is　in　the　service　of　our　nearest　royal　neighbor；　the　Grand　Duke；　and　he　has　been　sent　here　expressly　to　relieve　the　sufferings　of　the　Duke's　good　friend　and　brother；　our　invalid　Prince。　This　is　an　honorable　mission　no　doubt。　And　the　man　himself　is　handsome；　well…bred；　and　（I　don't　quite　know　whether　this　is　an　additional　recommendation）　a　countryman　of　ours。　Nevertheless　I　doubt　him；　and　the　Baroness　doubts　him。　You　are　an　independent　witness；　I　shall　be　anxious　to　hear　if　your　opinion　agrees　with　ours。〃

I　was　presented　at　Court；　toward　the　end　of　the　week；　and；　in　the　course　of　the　next　two　or　three　days；　I　more　than　once　saw　the　Doctor。　The　impression　that　he　produced　on　me　surprised　my　colleague。　It　was　my　opinion　that　he　and　the　Baroness　had　mistaken　the　character　of　a　worthy　and　capable　man。

The　secretary　obstinately　adhered　to　his　own　view。

〃Wait　a　little；〃　he　answered；　〃and　we　shall　see。〃

He　was　quite　right。　We　did　see。

III。

BUT　the　Princessthe　gentle；　gracious；　beautiful　Princesswhat　can　I　say　of　her　Highness？

I　can　only　say　that　she　enchanted　me。

I　had　been　a　little　discouraged　by　the　reception　that　I　met　with　from　her　father。　Strictly　confining　himself　within　the　limits　of　politeness；　he　bade　me　welcome　to　his　Court　in　the　fewest　possible　words；　and　then　passed　me　by　without　further　notice。　He　afterward　informed　the　English　Minister　that　I　had　been　so　unfortunate　as　to　try　his　temper：　〃Your　new　secretary　irritates　me；　sirhe　is　a　person　in　an　offensively　perfect　state　of　health。〃　The　Prince's　charming　daughter　was　not　of　her　father's　way　of　thinking；　it　is　impossible　to　say　how　graciously；　how　sweetly　I　was　received。　She　honored　me　by　speaking　to　me　in　my